JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa — Hotel in Gold Coast City

This has been one of the best resort properties I've stayed at in the world. This review focuses on the incredible amenities and friendly, engaging staff that make this place so special. Upon arrival, Melika not only warmly welcomed us with a refreshing lemonade-tasting drink, we had a lovely conversation about the property, Gold Coast, and our travels. When I expressed how much I loved snorkeling, she provided two complimentary vouchers for a 2-hour snorkel hire. Having arrived early, she also provided drink vouchers for use while we waited for our room to be ready.||I ended up going snorkeling quite a bit in the huge lagoon pool. I struck up a conversation with Kate, tender of all things aquatic, and she explained how they keep both the fish in the pool happy with balanced salinity, ozone, etc. as well as at a water temperature that makes guests comfortable. She was generous with her time also in talking about the fish. She went above and beyond when she found out I loved tropical fish and brought me a sheet that described each one of them. While we were there, she also added new fish to the lagoon! So exciting to see a striped nemo, blue dories, humbugs, fusiliers, wrasses, and so many other brightly colored fish. Do not miss the fish feeding tour either, you'll get to see them all come close!||We went on the garden tour, which should not be missed. Stan and Jonathan served as guides explaining how the garden was formed and what plants it held. Sustainability is the key here. While we were looking at their huge rain barrel and worm composter, which eventually creates rich soil and worm castings, the gardener, Marty, arrived to deposit fruit and veg scraps from the kitchen for the worms. I later talked with Marty, a former chef at the JW, about how they grow many of the fruits, citrus, herbs, and edible flowers that are used in dishes at the JW's restaurants. In addition, Marty has just put in huge raised beds and sown seeds of lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, and so many other veg for use in the kitchen dishes. Marty, like others, took the time to talk with me more about the garden and the trees and landscaping on the property. It was such a treat to talk with him and learn so much.||Likewise, Jonathan has worked for many years at the JW and knew so much about the history of the property. I loved talking with him. The JW rescued many trees that were going to be cut down when a Gold Coast hotel was being built nearby and replanted them at the resort. Today, many of them have a symbiotic role in keeping the balance on the property in good shape. One tree provides purple seeds that large currawongs eat. They, in turn, largely keep away the seagulls that like to snatch food, and quite importantly, would possibly snatch the small tropical fish in the lagoon. Jonathan was also incredibly friendly in going all the way to the laundry room to retrieve my rashie that I accidentally put into the pool towel bin! ||Unbelievably, I left my rashie at the pool again and another kind staffer at the pool, Albert, helped retrieve it. I ended up talking several times with Albert and loved watching him carve out the tops of the coconuts for the JW's famous pina coladas. I thought it was nice that they poured the fresh coconut water into a dispenser for guests to enjoy (and had water beside that).||Overall though, my favorite experience was talking with Stan. I initially met Stan when he led the fish feeding, but talked with him nearly every day of our stay. He is one of the kindest people I've met, and not just toward myself. He routinely made sure guests had what they needed and were having a good time. What blew me away was his attention to detail. He noticed me sketching a flower one afternoon down near the pool. I told him how much I loved the flowers in Australia and we then discussed good places to visit in Gold Coast to see nature. The next day, a bouquet with beautiful flowers arrived with a nice note from Stan! He asked the florist to include native Australian flowers for me, and there were pink gerilton, gum nuts, eucalyptus, and other pink, green, and yellow Australian flora. It inspired me to draw a picture of those flowers and others I have seen in Australia to give to Stan at the end of our stay. Stan's recommendations were also great - we loved Burleigh Heads! Stan really made my stay special and memorable.||Finally, the amenities were fantastic! I swam many mornings in the long heated pool, then enjoyed a dip in the heated spa. I also exercised in the gym which had everything I needed for a good workout. I used the treadmill, free weights and weight machines, and the mats and leg roller following my workouts. Cool water and cold washcloths as well as apples were provided. ||I can't imagine a better stay and hope to return soon to this paradise...

JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort & Spa – A Slice of Paradise Overall: This is, in my opinion, the best resort on the Gold Coast. The JW Marriott offers a perfect blend of luxury, world-class amenities, and outstanding service. From its breathtaking lagoon pool filled with tropical fish to its fine dining and well-equipped gym, everything about this resort exceeds expectations. The staff are warm, professional, and provide a level of hospitality far beyond the Gold Coast’s usual standards.

Service: The service was exceptional. Every staff member we encountered was friendly and professional, making us feel truly valued. A special mention goes to Natalia at the front desk, whose kindness made a lasting impression. My girlfriend can be quite shy, and Natalia’s warm welcome instantly put her at ease, setting the tone for an unforgettable stay.

Location: Perfectly positioned in one of Surfers Paradise’s most exclusive areas, the JW Marriott feels like a secluded retreat yet remains close to beaches, shops, and restaurants. Nestled along the canals and near the tram, the resort is surrounded by lush palm trees, dappled sunlight, and crystal-clear pools. Our room on the 27th floor offered a stunning panoramic view stretching from the ocean to the hinterland, giving us a truly unique perspective of the Gold Coast.

Amenities & Facilities: The grand lobby, with its elegant waterfall feature, sets the tone for a refined yet tropical experience. The gym is fully equipped with dumbbells, weight machines, treadmills, and more. Tennis and basketball courts add to the options for active guests.

One of the most magical parts of our stay was exploring the resort’s gardens, accessed through a grotto leading to a lush space filled with fragrant herbs and spices.

The lagoon pool is the resort’s crown jewel, featuring a waterslide, two hot tubs (one in a grotto), a waterfall, and a sand-bottomed lagoon teeming with tropical fish. Snorkeling here was a highlight—we spent hours exploring, pointing out fish, and bonding as I taught my girlfriend to snorkel for her birthday.

At Chapter & Verse, we enjoyed expertly crafted cocktails, with the lavender vodka cocktail and the resort’s signature plum gin standing out. We also dined at Citrique, which delivered an incredible fine-dining experience (reviewed separately).

The Room: Beautifully designed and well-stocked, our room featured a luxurious bath with mineral salts, a rain shower, and boutique-quality toiletries. The bed was plush and inviting, with large pillows and blackout curtains ensuring a restful night’s sleep.

The balcony view was breathtaking, stretching across the Gold Coast’s coastline and hinterland. While the balcony itself was a bit small and the cushions slightly worn, everything else in the room felt fresh and high-end. A thoughtful nighttime lighting feature allowed for easy navigation without disturbing a sleeping partner.

Final Thoughts: I first stayed at this resort as a child, and the lagoon pool and breakfast buffet have remained vivid in my memory ever since. Returning as an adult for my girlfriend’s birthday, I can confidently say the JW Marriott exceeded all expectations, giving us the most romantic getaway...

Our family of 6 have just recently return from our 10 nights stay at JW Marriott Gold Coast and I wanted to take the opportunity to acknowledge the staff that have gone over and above to make our stay wonderful and memorable.||We would like to highlight and acknowledge the following staff members that made our stay exceptional and are a credit to your resort. ||• Inese Brown - Inese was so helpful with organising our bookings for the 3 rooms that we had; she was so patient and understanding of our changes and all my questions. It made the whole process seamless and stress free.||• Jenjira Aimoth - Jenjira was amazing every morning during the extremely busy breakfast service where she personally help organise a suitable table for us as my father was wheelchair bound and the orders of the kids special dietary needs. I don’t know what we would have done if it was not for Jenjira’s kindness, understanding and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her better. ||• Preena & Monica (Citrique – breakfast service) - Preena was amazing with her calm, friendly and helpful manner. She was wonderful with our youngest, that he looked forward each morning to seeing Preena at breakfast, it really made his day. Monica was so friendly and helpful; nothing was too much, and she is a credit to the Citrique team.||• Jeff & Kiki @ Misono - Jeff our chef was amazing, he made the kids laughed so much at our dinner that they requested to go back again to have dinner with Jeff before we left. Jeff was exceptional when it came to the kids dietary need and was able get the kids to try something new (bowl of chicken and egg fried rice) and they thoroughly enjoyed their teppanyaki fillet steak.|o Kiki and the staff at Misono was so wonderful, kind and helpful each time we dine there (3 in total). Kiki went out of her way to organise for Jeff to be our chef on last teppanyaki dinner as the kids especially wanted to see Jeff again. ||• Paul Smart & Arman (sorry I may have spelt that incorrectly) - we would like to thank Paul and Arman for their understanding of the kids eating disorder and went out of their way to accommodate this with his own special menu and meals. It truly made things less stressful for us so a big thank you to them both and the kitchen team.||• Bozena & the ladies that serviced our rooms (sorry we didn’t get all their names) - Bozena did a fantastic job of keeping our rooms clean and tidy, she was so friendly and thoughtful and even went out of her way to have tea towels available for us to use for the wet bar without us having to ask for it.||Our Corner Executive 1 bedroom suite and Ocean View Twin rooms were modern, clean, and spacious with wonderful views. Overall the resort property and facilities is in great shape, however it was the exceptional service from your staff that truly stood out. We also had one of the vacation club rooms (although a bit dated was still comfortable), but I understand that it is managed separately to the main hotel.||JW Marriott Gold Coast is fantastic for families with young kids, so handy to all the attractions, shops, beach, restaurants and the rooms are modern and impeccably clean. We will definitely return for...